The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 15, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 18, 2007
Maurits Van Camp, Mortsel, BE;
Peter Verguts, Herselt, BE;
Maurits Van Camp, Mortsel, BE;
Peter Verguts, Herselt, BE;
Umicore, Brussels, BE;
Abstract
This invention relates to a single-step pyrometallurgical process for the recovery of non-ferrous metals from zinc bearing residues, in particular from by-products of the zinc and lead industry such as goethite and jarosite. A process for the recovery of metals from industrial Zn residues containing Zn, Fe and S is defined, wherein Zn is fumed, Fe is slagged, and S is oxidized to SO, characterized in that the Zn fuming, the Fe slagging, and the S oxidation are performed in a single step process, by smelting the residues in a furnace comprising at least one submerged plasma torch generating an oxidizing gas mixture, and by feeding a solid reducing agent to the melt. The process achieves the oxidation of S and the slagging of Fe, while simultaneously achieving the reduction and the fuming of metals such as Zn.